F  OoEFM  S 
CABIN 


AN  D 


FIELD 


LAURENCE  DUNBAR 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


Poems  of 
Cabin  and  Field 


A      V^r  %^tJ  "  VV^ 


PAVHAVKEflCEDWBAR 

nmlVSTR  ATEDWITM-PMOTOG-RAPMS  m 


MA/^PTO/V-IAfSTITUTE 
CAMERA  CU/B 

A/VD-DECORATIOAfS-fiy 

ALICE 


DODD-MEAO^COMPA  /VV 


Copyright,  189 
by 

Dodd,  Mead 
&  Co, 

All  right* 


Copyright,  1895-1896 

By  The  Century  Company 


JBntbemtg  ^ress 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


To 


Bishop  Henry  C.  Potter 

and   with  him  the   friends 
who  were  kind  in  my  illness 


Contents 

The  Deserted  Plantation Page  9 

Hunting  Song 31 

Little  Brown  Baby 43 

Chris'mus  is  a-Comin'        55 

Signs  of  the  Times 67 

Time  to  Tinker  'Round 81 

Lullaby 93 

A  Banjo  Song 107 


t\  / 


The  Deserted  Plantation 


Oh,  de  grubbin'-hoe  's  a-rustin'  in  de  co'nah, 
An*  de  plow 's  a-tumblin'  down  in  de  fieP, 

While  de  whippoVill  's  a-wailin'  lak  a  mou^nah 
When  his  stubborn  hea't  is  tryin'  ha'd  to  yiel\ 


1 


In  de  furrers  whah  de  co'n  was  allus  waving 
Now  de  weeds  is  growin'  green  an'  rank  an'  tall ; 

An'  de  swallers  round'  de  whole  place  is  a-bravin' 
Lak  dey  thought  deir  folks  had  allus  owned  it  all* 


"N> 


An*  de  big  house  Stan's  all  quiet  lak  an'  solemn, 
Not  a  blessed  soul  in  pa'lor,  po'ch,  er  lawn ; 

Not  a  guest,  ner  not  a  ca'iage  leP  to  haul  'em, 
Fu'de  ones  dat  tu'ned  de  latch-string  out  air  gone. 


^      •*ar=^*   "•••••. 


EA 


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'  de  banjo's  voice  is  silent  in  de  quarters, 
D'  ain't  a  hymn  ner  co'n-song  ringin'  in  de  air ; 
But  de  murmur  of  a  branch's  passin'  waters 
Is  de  only  soun'  dat  breks  de  stillness  dere. 


ft 


s>^ 


Whah  's  oF  Uncle  Mordecai  an'  Uncle  Aaron  ? 

Whah's  Aunt  Doshy,  Sam,  an'  Kit,  an'  all  de 
res'? 


54  ¥  W^^^^^KS^^» 


23 


Whah 's  ol'  Tom  de  da'ky  fiddlah,  how 's  he  farin'  ? 

Whah 's  de  gals  dat  used  to  sing  an'  dance  de 
bes'? 


I 


I 


Gone !  not  one  o'  dem  is  lef '  to  tell  de  story ; 

Dey  have  lef'  de  deah  oP  place  to  fall  away. 
Could  n  't  one  o'  dem  dat  seed  it  in  its  glory 

Stay  to  watch  it  in  de  hour  of  decay  ? 

25 


M 

i 


1 


I 


Dey  have  lef '  de  ol'  plantation  to  de  swallers, 
But  it  hoi's  in  me  a  lover  till  de  las' ; 

Fu'  I  fin'  hyeah  in  de  memory  dat  follers 
All  dat  loved  me  an'  dat  I  loved  in  de  pas'. 

27 


Srs) 


1 

So  1 11  stay  an9  watch  de  deah  oP  place  an'  tend  it 
Ez  I  used  to  in  de  happy  days  gone  by. 

Twell  de  othah  Mastah  thinks  it 's  time  to  end  it, 
An'  calls  me  to  my  quarters  in  de  sky. 


29 


i 


Hunting  Song 


31 


&\. 


Tek  a  cool  night,  good  an'  cleah, 

Skiff  o'  snow  upon  de  groun' ; 
Jes'  'bout  fall-time  o'  de  yeah 

Wen  de  leaves  is  dry  an*  brown ; 
Tek  a  dog  an'  tek  a  axe, 

Tek  a  lantu'n  in  yo'  han', 
Step  light  whah  de  switches  cracks, 

Fu'  dey  's  huntin'  in  de  Ian'. 
Down  th'oo  de  valleys  an'  ovah  de  hills, 

Into  de  woods  whah  de  'simmon-tree  grows, 
Wakin'  an'  skeerin'  de  po'  whippo' wills, 
Huntin'  fu'  coon  an'  fu'  'possum  we  goes. 

35 


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Blow  dat  ho'n  dah  loud  an9  strong, 

**^ 

Call  de  dogs  an9  da'kies  neah ; 
Mek  its  music  cleah  an'  long, 

So  de  folks  at  home  kin  hyeah. 
Blow  it  twell  de  hills  an'  trees 

Sen's  de  echoes  tumblin'  back ; 
Blow  it  twell  de  back'ard  breeze 

Tells  de  folks  we 's  on  de  track* 
Coons  is  a-ramblin'  an'  'possums  is  out ; 

Look  at  dat  dog ;  you  could  set  on  his  tail ! 
Watch  him  now — steady, — min' what  you 's 

about, 
Bless  me,  dat  animal 's  got  on  de  trail ! 

37 


3£ 


r    /• 


Listen  to  him  ba'kin'  now ! 

Dat  means  business,  sho  's  you  bo'n ; 
Ef  he 's  struck  de  scent  I  low 

Dat  ere  'possum 's  sholy  gone. 
Knowed  dat  dog  fu'  fo'teen  yeahs, 

An'  I  nevah  seed  him  fail 
Wen  he  sot  dem  flappin'  eahs 
An'  went  off  upon  a  trail. 
Run,  Mistah  'Possum,  an'  run,  Mistah  Coon, 

No  place  is  safe  fu'  yo'  ramblin'  to-night; 
Mas'  gin  de  lantu'n  an'  God  gin  de  moon, 
An'  a  long  hunt  gins  a  good  appetite. 


39 


rvi 


Look  hyeah,  folks,  you  hyeah  dat  change  ? 

Dat  ba'k  is  sharper  dan  de  res'. 
Dat  ere  soun'  ain't  nothin'  strange,  — 

Dat  dog's  talked  his  level  bes'. 
Somep'n'  's  treed,  I  know  de  soun'. 

Dah  now, — wha  'd  I  tell  you  ?  see ! 
Dat  ere  dog  done  run  him  down ; 

Come  hyeah,  he'p  cut  down  dis  tree. 
Ah,  Mistah  'Possum,  we  got  you  at  las'  — 

Need  n't  play  daid,  laying  dah  on  de  groun' ; 
Pros'  an'  de  'simmons  has  made  you  grow  fas',  — 
Won't  he  be  fine  when  he 's  roasted  up  brown ! 

4J 


Little  Brown  Baby 


Little  brown  baby  wif  spa'klin'  eyes, 

Come  to  yo'  pappy  an'  set  on  his  knee. 
What  you  been  doin',  suh  —  makin'  san'  pies  ? 

Look  at  dat  bib  —  you 's  ez  du'ty  ez  me* 
Look  at  dat  mouf  —  dat 's  merlasses,  I  bet ; 

ODme  hyeah,  Mariat  an^  wipe  off  his  han's. 
Bees  gwine  to  ketch  you  an'  eat  you  up  yit, 

Bein'  so  sticky  an'  sweet  —  goodness  lan's ! 


47 


. 


Little  brown  baby  wif  spavin'  eyes, 

Who 's  pappy's  darlin'  an*  who 's  pappy's  chile  ? 
Who  is  it  all  de  day  nevah  once  tries 

Ft/  to  be  cross,  er  once  loses  dat  smile  ? 
Whah  did  you  git  dem  teef  ?     My,  you 's  a  scamp ! 

Whah  did  dat  dimple  come  Pom  in  yo'  chin? 
Pappy  do'  know  yo  —  I  b'lieves  you 's  a  tramp ; 

Mammy,  dis  hyeah  's  some  61*  straggler  got  in ! 


Let 's  th'ow  him  outcn  de  do9  in  de  san', 

We  do'  want  stragglers  a-layin'  'roun'  hyeah; 
Let 's  gin  him  'way  to  de  big  buggah-man ; 

I  know  he 's  hidin'  erroun'  hyeah  right  neah. 
Buggah-man,  buggah-mant  come  in  de  do', 

Hyeah's  a  bad  boy  you  kin  have  ft/  to  eat. 
Mammy  an'  pappy  do'  want  him  no  mo', 

Swaller  him  down  f'om  his  haid  to  his  feet ! 


Dah,  now,  I  t'ought  dat  you'd  hug  me  up  close* 

Go  back,  oP  buggah,  you  sha'n't  have  dis  boy. 
He  ain't  no  tramp,  ner  no  straggler,  of  co'se ; 

He 's  pappy's  pa'dner  an'  playmate  an'  joy. 
Come  to  you'  pallet  now  —  go  to  yo'  res' ; 

Wisht  you  could  allus  know  ease  an'  cleah  skies; 
Wisht  you  could  stay  jes'  a  chile  on  my  breas'  — 

Little  brown  baby  wif  spa'klin'  eyes ! 


Chris'mus  is  a-Comin' 


55 


Bones  a-gittin'  achy, 
Back  a-feelin'  col', 
Han's  a-growin'  shaky, 
Jes'  lak  I  was  of. 
Pros'  erpon  de  meddah 
Lookin'  mighty  white ; 
Snowdraps  lak  a  feddah 
Slippin'  down  at  night* 
Jes'  keep  t'ings  a-hummin' 
Spite  o'  fros'  an'  showahs, 
Chris'mus  is  a-comin' 
An'  all  de  week  is  ouahs. 

59 


Little  mas'  a-axin', 
"  Who  is  Santy  Glaus  ?" 
Meks  it  kin'  o'  taxin' 
Not  to  brek  de  laws* 
Chilian's  pow'ful  tryin' 
To  a  pusson's  grace 
Wen  dey  go  a-pryin' 
Right  on  th'oo  you'  face 
Down  ermong  yo'  feelin's ; 
Jes'  'pears  lak  dat  you 
Got  to  change  you'  dealin's 
So 's  to  tell  'em  true. 

6* 


off 


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r.V I 


'  my  pickaninny  — 
Dreamin'  in  his  sleep ! 
Come  hyeah,  Mammy  Jinny, 
Come  an'  tek  a  peep. 
01'  Mas'  Bob  an'  Missis 
In  dey  house  up  daih 
Got  no  chile  lak  dis  is, 
D'  ain't  none  anywhaih. 
Sleep,  my  little  lammy, 
Sleep,  you  little  limb, 
He  do'  know  whut  mammy 
Done  saved  up  fu'  him. 

63 


1 

HP 


1 


Dey  '11  be  banjo  picking 
Dancin'  all  night  th'oo. 
Dey  '11  be  lots  o'  chicken, 
Plenty  tu'ky,  too* 
Drams  to  wet  yo'  whistles 
So 's  to  drive  out  chills* 
Whut  I  keer  fu'  drizzles 
Fallin'  on  de  hills  ? 
Jes*  keep  t'ings  a-hummin' 
Spite  o'  col'  an'  showahs, 
Chris'mus  day 's  a-comin^ 
An'  all  de  week  is  ouahs. 

65 


Signs  of  the  Times 


67 


Air  a-gittin'  cool  an'  coolah, 
Frost  a-comin'  in  de  night, 

Hicka'  nuts  an'  wa'nuts  falling 

.  +.-•  • 

\ 

Tossum  keepin'  out  o'  sight. 
Turkey  struttin'  in  the  ba'nya'd, 

Nary  step  so  proud  ez  his ; 
Keep  on  strutting  Mistah  Tu'keyt 

Yo'  do'  know  whut  time  it  is. 


Cidah  press  commence  a-squeakin/ 
Eatin'  apples  sto'ed  away, 

Chilian  swa'min'  'roun'  lak  ho'nets, 
Huntin'  aigs  ermung  de  hay» 

Mistah  Tt/key  keep  on  gobblin' 
At  de  geese  a-flyin*  souft 

Oomph!  dat  bird  do'  know  whut's 
comin'  ; 


Ef  he  did  he  *d  shet  his  mouf . 


73 


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Pum'kin  gittin'  good  an'  yallah 

Mek  me  open  up  my  eyes ; 
Seems  lak  it 's  a-lookin'  at  me 

Jes'  a-la'in'  dah  sayin'  "Pies." 
Tu'key  gobbler  gwine  'roun'  blowing 

Gwine  Voun'  gibbin'  sass  an'  slack; 
Keep  on  talking  Mistah  TVkey, 

You  ain't  seed  no  almanac. 

75 


mamm 


If.  sl 

life*, 


Fa'mer  walkin'  th^oo  de  ba'nya'd 

Sccin'  how  things  is  comin'  on, 
Sees  ef  all  de  fowls  is  fatt'nin'  — 

Good  times  comin'  sho  's  you  bo'n. 
Hyeahs  dat  tu'key  gobbler  bragging 

Den  his  face  break  in  a  smile  — 
Nebbah  min',  you  sassy  rascal, 

He 's  gwine  nab  you  atter  while. 

77 


r  M 


-   -W|X 


1W  1 


Choppin'  suet  in  de  kitchen, 
Stonin*  raisins  in  de  hall, 

Beef  a-cookin'  fu'  de  mince  meat, 
Spices  groun'  —  I  smell  'em  all. 


Look  hyeah,  TVkey,  stop  dat  gob- 
bling 

You  ain'  luned  de  sense  ob  feah, 
You  oP  fool,  yo'  naik  ^s  in  dangah, 

Do'    you    know    Thanksgibbin  's 
hyeah? 

79 


Time  to  Tinker  'Roun' 


81 


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?^  fr, 
*  £•  '' 


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Summah  's  nice,  wif  sun  a-shinin', 

Spring  is  good  wif  greens  and  grass, 
An'  dey  's  some  t'ings  nice  'bout  win- 
tah, 

Dough  hit  brings  de  freezin'  bias' ; 
But  de  time  dat  is  de  fines', 

Whethah  fiel's  is  green  er  brown, 
Is  w'en  de  rain 's  a-po'in' 

An'  dey 's  time  to  tinker  'roun'. 

85 


P^!^^ 

^J  -        '  i* 


Den  you  men's  de  mule's  oP  harness, 

An'  you  men's  de  broken  chair, 
Hummin'  all  de  time  you 's  wo'kin' 

Some  olf  common  kind  o'  air* 
Evah  now  an'  then  you  looks  out, 

Tryin'  mighty  ha'd  to  frown, 
But  you  cain't,  you's  glad  hit 's  rain- 
in', 

An'  dey  's  time  to  tinker  'roun'. 

**»«,_,  87 


Oh,  you  'ten's  lak  you  so  anxious 

Evah  time  it  so'  o'  stops. 
Wen  hit  goes  on,  den  you  reckon 

Dat  de  wet  '11  he'p  de  crops* 
But  hit  ain't  de  crops  you 's  aftah ; 

You  knows  w'en  de  rain  comes 

down 
Dat 's  hit 's  too  wet  out  fu'  wo'kin', 

An'  dey  's  time  to  tinker  'roun'. 

89 


Oh,  dey  's  fun  inside  de  co'n-crib, 

An'  dey  's  laffin'  at  de  ba'n; 
An'  dey 's  allus  some  one  joking 

Er  some  one  to  tell  a  ya'n. 
Dah  's  a  quiet  in  yo'  cabin, 

Only  fu'  de  rain's  sof  soun' ; 
So  you 's  mighty  blessed  happy 

W'en  dey 's  time  to  tinker  'roun'! 


Lullaby 


t    \ 


IF 


Bedtime 's  come  fu'  little  boys, 

Po'  little  lamb. 
Too  tiahed  out  to  make  a  noise, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

You  gwine  t'  have  to-morrer  sho'  ? 
Yes,  you  tole  me  dat  befo', 
Don't  you  fool  me,  chile,  no  mo', 

Po'  little  lamb. 

97 


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You  been  bad  de  livelong  day, 

Po'  little  lamb* 
Th'owin'  stones  an'  runnin' 

Po'  little  lamb. 

My,  but  you 's  a-runnin'  wil', 
Look  jes'  lak  some  po'  folks  chile ; 
Mam'  gwine  whup  you  atter  while, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

99 


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Come  hyeah !  you  mos'  tiahed  to  def, 

Po'  little  lamb. 
Played  yo'se'f  clean  out  o'  bref, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

See  dem  ban's  now  —  sich  a  sight ! 
Would  you  evah  b'lieve  dey  's  white  ? 
Stan'  still  twell  I  wash  'em  right, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

JOJ 


Jes'  cain't  ho?  yo'  haid  up  straight, 

Po'  little  lamb. 
Had  n't  oughter  played  so  late, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

Mammy  do9  know  whut  she  'd  do, 
Ef  de  chillun's  all  lak  you; 
You 's  a  caution  now  fu'  true, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

J03 


•w?^ 


Lay  yo'  haid  down  in  my  lap, 

Po'  little  lamb* 
Y'ought  to  have  a  right  good  slap, 

Po'  little  lamb. 

You  been  runnin'  roun'  a  heap* 
Shet  dem  eyes  an'  don't  you  peep, 
Dah  now,  dah  now,  go  to  sleep, 

Po'  little  lamb* 

J05 


A  Banjo  Song 


J07 


Oh,  dere  's  lots  o'  keer  an'  trouble 
In  dis  world  to  swaller  down ; 

An'  ol'  Sorrer  's  purty  lively 
In  her  way  o'  gittin'  roun'» 

Yet  dere 's  time  when  I  f  urgit  'em,  — 


Aches  an'  pains  an'  troubles  all,  — 


An'  it 's  when  I  tek  at  ebenin' 
My  ol'  banjo  f'om  de  wall* 
m 


',' 


.'5-77 


'Bout  de  timedat  night  is  fallin' 

An'  my  daily  wu'k  is  done, 
An'  above  de  shady  hilltops 

I  kin  see  de  settin'  sun ; 
When  de  quiet,  restful  shadders 

Is  beginnin'  jes'  to  fall,  — 
Den  I  take  de  little  banjo 

F'om  its  place  upon  de  wall, 
ns 


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^mmlw^^^^ — ^SixA±^ — ** -"<^ ^_^jG£zjs&». — 

Den  my  fam'ly  gadders  roun'  me 

In  de  fadin'  o'  de  light, 
Ez  I  strike  de  strings  to  try  'em 

Ef  dey  all  is  tuned  er-right. 
An'  it  seems  we  're  so  nigh  heaben 

We  kin  hyeah  de  angels  sing 
When  de  music  o'  dat  banjo 

Sets  my  cabin  all  er-ring. 

H5 


r-^C 


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• 

I 


An'  my  wife  an9  all  de  othahs,  — 

Male  an'  female,  small  an'  big,  — 
Even  up  to  gray-haired  granny, 

Seem  jes'  boun'  to  do  a  jig ; 
Twell  I  change  de  style  o'  music, 

Change  de  movement  an'  de  time, 
An'  de  ringin'  little  banjo 

Plays  an  ol'  hea't-feelin'  hime. 


An'  somehow  my  throat  gits  choky,. 

An'  a  lump  keeps  tryin'  to  rise 
Lafc  it  wan'ed  to  ketch  de  water 

Dat  was  flowin'  to  my  eyes ; 
An'  I  feel  dat  I  could  sorter 

Knock  de  socks  clean  off  o'  sin 
Ez  I  hyeah  my  po'  oP  granny 

Wif  huh  tremblin'  voice  jine  in* 


OH  ^r/t '^^"'U 

s  wif  W^Jnv 

'\SSSv  x(v  It    t/f/  xT  '  ^\Wx-r    \\l  hmnnnnrK. 


Den  we  all  th'ow  in  our  voices 

Ft/  to  he'p  de  chune  out  too, 
Lak  a  big  camp-meetin'  choiry 

Tryin'  to  sing  a  mou'nah  th'oo* 
An^  our  th'oats  let  out  de  music, 

Sweet  an'  solemn,  loud  an'  free, 
Twell  de  raftahs  o'  my  cabin 

Echo  wif  de  melody* 


Oh,  de  music  o'  de  banjo, 

Quick  an'  deb'lish,  solemn,  slow, 
Is  de  greates'  joy  an'  solace 

Dat  a  weary  slave  kin  know ! 
So  jes'  let  me  hyeah  it  ringing 

Dough  dechune  be  po'an'  rough, 
It 's  a  pleasure ;  an'  de  pleasures 

O'  dis  life  is  few  enough* 

J23 


Now,  de  blessed  little  angels 

Up  in  heaben,  we  are  told, 
Don't  do  nothin'  all  dere  lifetime 

'Ceptin'  play  on  ha'ps  o'  gold* 
Now  I  think  heaben  'd  be  mo'  homelike 

Ef  we  'd  hyear  some  music  fall 
Fom  a  real  ol'-fashioned  banjo, 

Like  dat  one  upon  de  wall. 

J25 


3O> 


